TV-radio org honors Bell and Gibbons

“Entertainment Tonight’s” Leeza Gibbons and “The Young and the Restless” co-creator Lee Phillip Bell were honored as Broadcasters of the Year by the Southern California chapter of the American Women in Radio & Television at its 1993 Industry Awards.

Nearly 300 radio and TV execs and actors attended the three-hour event Thursday at the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel, raising several thousand dollars for the chapter’s College Students in Broadcasting Scholarship Fund.

Marc Kaye, KIIS-FM/AM’s president and general manager and AWRT’s first male member, served as host.

The annual awards recognize leadership and achievements in broadcasting. AWRT is a 3,000-member national org dedicated to advancing the impact of women in electronic media.

Bell, who garnered a standing ovation, expressed gratitude to her staff, while Gibbons applauded the roomful of colleagues, commenting, “We are becoming the men we had planned to marry.”

Service, merit nods

Two additional awards were presented: The Industry Service Award to Eric Maehara, the assistant to the director of national publicity for Buena Vista Pictures marketing; and the Merit Award to Nancy Akers, director of marketing for Nederlander Concerts and VP of resource development for AWRT.

Gibbons is the co-host of “Entertainment Tonight” and NBC’s “John & Leeza in Hollywood” and hosts the annual “Miss Universe” pageant, “Hollywood Christmas Parade” and Lifetime’s “Growing Up Together.”

Bell is an Emmy-winning broadcast journalist who, with her husband William Bell, co-created “The Bold and the Beautiful” (which she also executive produces) and “The Young and the Restless.”